March 25 (Reuters) - Connor Esterhuizen's knock of 75 off just 33 balls helped South Africa secure a 33-run win over New Zealand on Wednesday, clinching a comeback 3-2 victory in their five-match Twenty20 series after New Zealand had taken a 2-1 lead last week.
Esterhuizen, who made his international debut earlier in the series, rekindled South Africa's innings after a muted start to help them post 187-4 in Christchurch, before two-wicket hauls from Gerald Coetzee, Wiaan Mulder and Ottniel Baartman restricted New Zealand to 154-8.
"Means everything and pinch-me moment to play for your country. Special feeling and humbling," said player of the series Esterhuizen, who had also scored a fifty in the previous game to help South Africa level the series.
New Zealand chose to bowl first and despite Benjamin Sears and Josh Clarkson dropping catches early on, South Africa were struggling at 76-2 in the 11th over before Esterhuizen came on.
The 24-year-old smashed four sixes and three boundaries to reach fifty in 24 balls, and by the time he was caught by the hosts' stand-in captain James Neesham, Esterhuizen had partnered with Dian Forrester to add 61 runs in 27 balls for the fourth wicket.
New Zealand, seeking their first win over South Africa in a multi-game bilateral T20 series, lost opener Katene Clarke early to Mulder, before Dane Cleaver (22), Tim Robinson (25) and Nick Kelly (14) fell in quick succession to leave them at 69-4 in the 11th over.
Neesham, captaining New Zealand after regular skipper Mitchell Santner was rested and back-up captain Tom Latham got injured, batted till the last over but could do little as their innings fizzled out after Bevon Jacobs' (36 off 19 balls) brief stand.
"Unfortunately a couple of sub-par performances at the end of the series... South Africa have a quality bowling attack and (our) batters got a taste of what the next level is like," said Neesham.
New Zealand, who lost to hosts India in the T20 World Cup final earlier this month, will visit Bangladesh for a white-ball tour in April.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in BengaluruEditing by Christian Radnedge)
